Sector News

Cihangir, IstanbulWhat's going for it? I bet guide books blathered on about "where east meets west" when Istanbul was Constantinople. But at least it's finally coming true again. On account of Turkey's wooing of both the EU and East Asia, the past decade has seen the city turn from lovely-if-decrepit museum piece to a lovely-if-decrepit museum piece with great bars, economic growth and an OK public transport system. Not all of the change has been for the best. But spots like Cihangir make it all seem worthwhile. This is an Orhan Pamuk kind of neighbourhood.

CHARLOTTE MCPHERSONThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Surviving and thriving in the Turkish work culture (3)

In the previous two articles we have been exploring the challenges expats face when living in a different culture and having to speak another language. I imagine if I were to ask Today's Zaman readers which one they'd prefer to be -- survivors or thrivers -- the majority would reply the latter.

ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily NewsA high number of Armenian and Georgian people working in Turkey are leaving the country in the wake of a recent law implementation that complicates working permits for foreign people. While workers complain of extreme financial difficulties, Labor Ministry announces that there will be exceptions for house workersArmenians and Georgians are rushing to exit Turkey before a new law complicating residence procedures comes into effect Feb 1. Many workers from the countries have implored PM Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to quash the law, saying it will make it impossible for them to continue living in Turkey.

The new stars of the opera world will rise once more in the Istanbul skies at the 7th Leyla Gencer Voice Competition.

The Leyla Gencer Voice Competition organised by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV) together with Accademia del Teatro alla Scala and sponsored by Doğuş Group and Garanti Bank will be held on 15-20 September 2012, with the contributions of Borusan Holding.

The competition’s preliminary auditions will be held in Berlin, Istanbul, London, Madrid, Milano and Vienna, in April and May 2012. The finals are then to be held in September 2012, in Istanbul.

The European Network of Female Entrepreneurship Ambassadors will launch its project in Turkey this year, partnering with the Women Entrepreneurs Association of Turkey (KAGİDER), the Businesswomen Entrepreneurs’ and Enhancement Association (ANGİKAD) and Turkey’s Özyeğin University.

One in ten of the companies in Capital 500 has posted record growth over the last five years.

These 50 companies have succeeded in growing at least twice as much as their own sectors and left their rivals trailing in their wake. Ağaoğlu İnşaat ranks first with a growth rate of 25.3 fold. It is followed by Goldaş Kuyumculuk and Hedef Allianz. Here are the five secrets of those that have grown several times faster than their sectors.

The Magic Ice Museum which is the first and only ice museum in Turkey opened last year in Istanbul with the ‘Vikings’ exhibit, is now preparing to present a new concept, ‘Turkish and Ottoman History.’ Hundreds of tons of ice have been used to create new sculptures depicting the past.

Magic Ice Museum, where blocks of ice turn into art in the hands of masters, will present masterpieces featuring Turkish and Ottoman history.

Works for the new concept started Nov. 24, and the museum is ready to present history starting from the first age to the foundation of the Ottoman State and on to the conquest of Istanbul and the Republic Period.

Are you about to start expat life in Istanbul? You should definitely plan ahead: Istanbul’s hustle and bustle and maze-like structure can massively overwhelm newcomers. Our guide to living in Istanbul helps you prepare, with advice on international schools, health care, housing, and much more.

While living in Istanbul, you will find that freedom of religion and a liberal attitude are common aspects of life in Istanbul. Although the majority of the population is Muslim (though not necessarily practicing), the patriarchate of Constantinople plays an important role for Eastern Orthodox Christians living in Istanbul, indeed all over the world. The city offers many places of worship for other Christian denominations or people of Jewish faith who are currently living in Istanbul.